Another Day, Another Scar
by ALC Punk
Summary: Sam Carter is really beginning to regret taking over as leader of SG1.


Title: **_Another Day, Another Scar_** Rating/Warning: er. 13ish. Maybe some language and violence?

Spoilers: Set in season eight, vague spoilers.  
Your name: ALC Punk!  
Your recipient: minigeek Request details: "A little Sam Carter, a little kickin' keister (I cannot believe I just used that word in a sentence), and maybe a little self-discovery along the way." 

The first problem had been getting shot. It was mostly just a graze, but the arrow had taken a chunk out of her vest and shoulder. Which was irritating. She didn't want to have to break in a new vest. Not when she'd just gotten this one comfortable.

Okay, so the first problem had really been not finding out P8X-91C had hostile natives before arriving there. As Sam Carter crouched behind a boulder and reviewed the tactical situation, she tried to ignore the pain in her shoulder. They were surrounded by at least twenty warriors, all armed with crossbows.

Not one of her better days, truth be told.

Glancing at Daniel and Teal'c, she sighed and tossed her weapon out. "We surrender!"

That was the second problem: not being able to kill people with her mind.

-

The fourth problem was that the natives thought they'd be best stored in a cell.

Rodney McKay, she decided resentfully as the door slammed behind their captors, was probably having a much better day.

For instance, he probably hadn't been shot, hadn't been tied up, and hadn't been thrown in a cell. While this was a typical day for SG-1, Sam Carter was pretty certain it would never happen to McKay. No, no, he was the lucky one. He got to geek and investigate Ancient technology and remain blissfully unaware of what it was like to have your life threatened by idiots who thought violence made them better.

Damn. She needed a vacation.

When she got back, she was SO requesting leave.

Ignoring Daniel and Teal'c, she carefully moved to examine the cell door. The pain in her shoulder had abated, somewhat. She figured it was shock. Teal'c had bandaged it as best he could while they'd been marched away from the gate. Away! Damnit, she hated it when the local populace didn't conveniently store them close to the gate. It was at least two hours' walk back. And she didn't want to think about that two hours with a hole in her shoulder. At least the natives had untied them before shoving them into their prison.

"Sam?"

The lock was a fairly simple mechanism, and Sam rummaged in her pockets. "What?"

"You ok?" Daniel had Concerned Look #5 on as he studied her.

Almost shrugging, Sam caught herself in time, "Yeah, Daniel. Just peachy." She fished a piece of wire from her pocket and eyed it. Apparently, she really should stop untwisting paperclips during briefings. Of course, in this instance, it might be a good thing she had. She slid the wire into the lock and began picking it. Gently.

Gentle was a good thing, she thought as she worked at it. Gentle would keep her head from hurting worse than it already did. She figured it was a tension headache. Or maybe it was sympathetic pain from her shoulder.

With a click, the door swung free.

"Teal'c."

Without asking for further instructions, he slid out into the hall and disappeared around the corner. Sam listened intently. If he got in trouble, she'd have to go save him and that might be difficult. Glaring at her shoulder wasn't going to accomplish anything, but it certainly made her feel better.

Teal'c returned a moment later. "The way appears clear." he murmured.

"Good." Sam nodded. "I'll go first, Daniel in the middle. Teal'c, you bring up the rear."

She didn't wait for their answer. Walking down the corridor was simple. Walking through the five echoing passageways and reaching the surface door was quite easy.

Peering out into the afternoon light, Sam discovered that getting out of the door was going to be hard.

"Ten guards visible."

"Great odds," Daniel muttered. "What's the plan?"

They could find a back entrance to the place. They could... wait until nightfall. Neither option seemed to be conducive to getting her to the infirmary so that the blood she'd lost could be replaced. And Sam didn't even want to contemplate infection and fever. Which only left one other option.

"You go and talk to them, Daniel."

"What? Sam, they've got weapons!"

"Yes, I know." She rolled her eyes, "Never mind. I'll go. You two... do something useful, like slip out while they're not paying attention to the doorway."

Daniel caught her good arm. "What? Sam, that is not--"

"Colonel Carter, I concur with Daniel Jackson--"

"Good. You two can have a great wedding after my funeral due to death from septicemia." Sam elbowed Daniel and slid free of his hold, stepping out past the doorway and into the light. "Hi!"

A rattle of sound, and the weapons were all pointed at her. None of them answered, however.

Smiling brightly, Sam stepped to the right, away from the doorway. And away from the direction of the stargate. "I'm sure you're all wondering why I've called you all here to discuss enhancement of the natural magnetic pulsar energy inherent in naquadah. In fact," she continued, tone bright and eager, "Naquadah can be super-charged, using magnets, solar flares," from the corner of her eye, she saw Daniel and Teal'c slip out and head into the woods. "And even really good sex.

"Of course, all of that isn't possible without a flux capacitor, ten little Indians, and a partridge in a pear tree. But," she continued to smile brilliantly at them as she reached the tree line, "That's never stopped the men in Peru from leading solitary lives with dromedaries in an Alaskan outback."

Maybe it was the utter nonsense. Perhaps it was the brilliant smile. Either way, the natives were eyeing her with considering looks, their weapons dropping slightly.

Sam took advantage and dove into the trees, running at full-tilt, shoulder jarring with every step. Behind her, they began firing, erupting into a whirl of movement. If she'd cared to look back, she would have seen eight of them start after her while one ran into the building to check the cell and the other ran towards the village.

Proud of her directional instincts, Sam hit the trail they'd been brought on and paralleled it inside the tree line.

"Colonel Carter." Teal'c fell into step with her. Daniel took her other side. "It appears we must move quickly."

"I feel like a jog, really. Daniel?"

"Oh, yeah. I can go for a run like this anytime." He said sulkily, but he had a grin on his face when she shot him a look.

"Good. We have to stay ahead of them and reach the gate."

-

Easier said than done. Sam's shoulder had begun throbbing in earnest, and the movement had reopened the wound. She could feel a steady trickling sensation as she bled out, the liquid sliding down her back and making her shirt and pants stick to her nastily. Really, when this was all over, she was getting a shower and then a long leave.

Let someone else save the planet for a little while.

Teal'c took her good arm at some point, and she found it easier to keep pace with the steady tread of the jaffa. It was, she reflected, a good thing they did endurance training or they never could have sustained the pace. Even Daniel was keeping up with only a little effort.

"I see it!" Daniel cried suddenly. He put on an extra burst of speed and broke into the clearing ahead of them.

Sam didn't have the energy left to worry about an ambush. And luckily, there wasn't one.

The gate was spinning around as she and Teal'c reached him, the last chevron locking into place a moment later. "IDC sent, Daniel?"

He held up his GDO. "Yes."

"Good." Sam stepped away from Teal'c. "Let's get the hell out of here, then."

-

General O'Neill eyed them as they walked down the ramp. "Fun and games, Carter?"

"Yes, sir." She ignored her shoulder and flashed her best smile. "I don't think they're fans of Parcheesi, though."

"We need to get the colonel to the infirmary, sir," Dr. Brightman interrupted. She was hovering, giving Sam a slight glare. Possibly because Sam had neglected to sit down as soon as they'd brought the gurney over.

"Debriefing later, Carter. I'm sure you'll have lots of things to tell."

"There were trees, sir."

"There always are," he acknowledged.

Sam sat down rather abruptly. "Hey, Doc, I think I lost a little blood." In fact, given the way the gateroom was spinning, it was probably a lot.

A sigh echoed from far away, "Get her to the infirmary. Now."

Good plan, Sam said. Or thought she said. It was all a bit of a blur, after that.

-

She woke in the infirmary. Stiff and sore and her head was still throbbing. Stifling a groan at the pain, she glared up at the ceiling, remembering her earlier thought. Yeah. Rodney McKay, who only had to be a scientist, so had it easier.

-f


End file.
